Through the Years
by watertribewolfe
Summary: Jack's been around for a long time. At one point, he stumbled across witches and wizards who could see him despite not believing in him. Since then he often stopped by Hogwarts, a school unique to those with magic. A place he could call home, at least for the time being.


Jack Frost was bored.

He, and about twenty other ghosts, were waiting for the first years to arrive. Jack liked the first years, they were young and impressionable, easy to make them believe in him. Sure they could see him without believing thanks to being witches and wizards, but Jack didn't care for being walked through even accidentally by one of them. He wished they'd hurry up.

"Peeves has done it again," Nearly Headless Nick said.

Jack started at the mention of his friend, noting the poltergeist's absence.

"What did he do this time?" he wondered.

"Oh, no, we are not giving you any ideas," the Bloody Baron said firmly, "you get into enough trouble as it is."

"Not as much as Peeves, apparently," Jack said mischievously, freezing a nearby portrait.

"Why don't you go check on the first years," the Fat Friar suggested, apologizing to the portrait's occupants.

"Sure," Jack agreed, peering around the corridor.

Jack was just in time to see Minerva open the doors. Hagrid entered first, behind him trailed the first years.

"They're here," he announced.

The ghosts let Minerva finish her speech before filtering through the wall. Jack had to take the corridor, he wasn't quite as transparent as the others.

"Perhaps we should forgive and forget," the Fat Friar said, "we ought to give him a second chance."

"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves?" Nearly Headless Nick said. "He gives us all a bad name, and you know he's not really even a ghost, much like Jack here."

"Hey!" Jack had joined them in the air, with the Wind's help of course. He pointed his staff at Nearly Headless Nick, who subtly floated away from the point of it. "I'm a spirit, not a ghost. Peeves is though."

Gasps were heard, and Jack peered down at the first years.

"Hey," he said again, this time in greeting. "First years, right? Waiting to be sorted?"

A few nodded.

"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff," the Fat Friar said. "My old house, you know."

"Move along now," Minerva said sharply.

One by one, the ghosts floated through the opposite wall until only Jack remained behind.

"That means you, Mr. Frost," Minerva told him.

"I was wondering if I could stay with the first years" Jack said.

He wanted to walk with them through the Great Hall as it tended to make them less nervous. That, and he wanted to try the hat on for size. He hated being the only spirit in Hogwarts not sorted into a house.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Frost, you know the rules," Minerva said. "Run along now."

Jack nodded, dropping to his feet beside the first years.

"See you all at the feast!" he told them. He ran back around the corridor, leaving behind shocked faces.

The Sorting Hat ceremony was over. Jack walked through the Great Hall, greeting the older students and introducing himself to the newer ones as he went. He reached the Gryffindor table, where Nearly Headless Nick was demonstrating just where his namesake came from. He seized his left ear and pulled. His whole head swung off his neck and fell on to his shoulder as if it was on a hinge. Jack snuck up behind Nick and playfully shoved the ghosts head back on his head.

"Scaring the first years already, Nick?" Jack drawled, leaning against his staff in amusement.

"No, I was merely showing them how one can be nearly headless," Nearly Headless Nick explained. "this is Jack Frost, by the way."

"Jack Frost, like the muggle myth?" a girl with bushy brown hair asked.

"Oh, I'm more than just a myth," Jack said.

He held out a hand. A snowflake fluttered to existence. Jack blew on his creation, causing it to land on the nose of the girl before him.

"Can all ghosts do that?" a boy with messy black hair asked.

"I'm more of a spirit than a ghost," Jack explained, taking an empty seat beside the kid. He set his staff against the table. "though I know Old Man Winters has powers similar to mine. Most spirits have their own unique abilities and do their own thing."

Jack began piling a plate of food. The first years watched him curiously.

"I thought ghosts couldn't eat?" a red head asked. A Weasley, perhaps?

"We can't," Nearly Headless Nick said, looking longingly as Jack bit into an apple. "Spirits can. So, new Gryffindors! I hope you're going to help us win the House Championship this year? Gryffindor have never gone so long without winning. Slytherin have got the cup six years in a row. The Bloody Baron's becoming almost unbearable, he's the slytherin ghost."

Jack nodded at the Slytherin table, where the Bloody Baron had taken upon sitting next to a first year with platinum blonde hair.

"How did he get covered in blood?" a boy with sandy colored hair asked.

"I've never asked," Nearly Headless Nick said delicately.

Jack also new better to not ask about a ghosts death. His own was still quite touchy, and he avoided talking about death in general. Not the most fun topic of conversation, despite what Moaning Myrtle might tell you.

"So, what are your names?" Jack asked to change the topic.

"I'm Ron Weasley."

"Hermione Granger."

"Harry Potter."

"A Potter, huh?" Jack said, turning to the boy. "I knew your dad, you know."

"You did?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, he was quite fun at times," Jack said fondly.

Towards desert the topic changed to families. Jack decided to keep quiet and picked up his staff and plate. He made his way over to where the Bloody Baron sat at the Slytherin table. He failed to notice the calculating look Quirinus was giving him, a look which Severus caught.

* * *

 **Hey, thanks for reading my story! I've been planning this out for awhile now, and decided to upload in honor of Harry Potter and J.K. Rowlings shared birthdays. (this is unedited) I plan to continue, having outlined through the first book already. I want to go through all seven books, with Jack added through certain points in Harry's time at Hogwarts. Why he's there at all will be explained, until then don't forget to review! I'd love to hear what you have to say.**


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